Challenging a parking ticket after 4 months

vtcauto

First of all, I am very happy and thankful that I found this webpage. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences with others!

One morning in November 2024, I parked a rented vehicle for about 30 minutes at Southgate Park, Stansted, CM24 1PY, intending to have coffee at Starbucks. Before entering Starbucks, we changed our minds and decided to go to McDonald's, which was less than 30 meters away. We left the car in the same parking spot. After having coffee, we left.

In December 2024 (36 days after the incident), I received an email from the car rental company stating that they had recently been notified about a traffic violation notice. The email stated: “As the owners of the vehicle, we are required to provide the hirer details to the relevant issuing authority who will in turn reissue the fine to you. Once you have received this you will be able to respond, pay or appeal directly to the authority. Please note that if the reduced amount of the fine is applicable, you will still have the opportunity to pay this when the fine is reissued to you. …. Full details will be available once the fine is reissued to you.” End of quote.

No letter from MET Parking Services ever arrived!

Sometime between April 3rd and April 9th (more than 120 days after the incident), I received an unregistered letter to my mailbox from DRP demanding payment of £170 by March 25th, 2025…! 

When trying to enter my citation number and the vehicle's number plate on the MET Parking Services web form, the webpage doesn't recognize my case number.

With the help of various cases and examples mentioned in this forum, I am preparing a letter with four main points to appeal to MET Parking Services: 

• the NTK from MET Parking Services was never sent, 
• the site boundary is unclear, 
• there is missing authority from the landowner, and 
• there is confusing signage on the property. 

Obviously we didn't have any intention to break anyone's (even unreasonable) rules.

The app on their webpage doesn't recognize my citation number, so I cannot file anything via their webpage. I am planning to send a registered letter.  

Is this the right procedure I am taking by writing to the MET first, or am I missing something here? 

Should I take any other steps at this point? 

Am I right in mentioning the 14-day timeframe for serving the Notice to Keeper (NTK)?

Also, should I ever mention the DRP letter, or refer to it? 

Is there anything else I have overlooked that you would suggest?

Since I'm not based in the UK and this is my first time dealing with this situation, evendough I read through the Newbies section, I might still be asking questions that have straightforward answers for others. I apologize for that beforehand.

Thank you. 

Coupon-mad

Why not just send MET and the debt crawlers an email confirming you were driving but pointing out that you live in {NAME OF COUNTRY} as your permanent residence. Thus you are outside the jurisdiction of the English Courts and can they kindly boil their head in a bucket / crawl back under their stone.

I'm serious!

vtcauto

Coupon-mad said:

Why not just send MET and the debt crawlers an email confirming you were driving but pointing out that you live in {NAME OF COUNTRY} as your permanent residence. Thus you are outside the jurisdiction of the English Courts and can they kindly boil their head in a bucket / crawl back under their stone.

I'm serious!

Thank you. Are there any particular laws or ordinances that I might be able to reference here?

Coupon-mad

Do you need to? My wording was serious.

No need to be polite. You are untouchable. Outside of jurisdiction (Google it) so the sooner you tell them that, the better.

vtcauto

Coupon-mad said:

Do you need to? My wording was serious.

No need to be polite. You are untouchable. Outside of jurisdiction (Google it) so the sooner you tell them that, the better.

Understood. I didn't find the email address on the MET website, only one for complaints. However, they state:

The complaints policy is not intended to be used as a method for motorists to appeal a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) or Notice of Parking Charge (NPC). Matters relating specifically to appeals must be made in writing as instructed on the notice itself.

Since their online form is not accepting my number, I have to mail it through the postal service.

Should I write to DRP also? In the "Newbies" guide I read: IF YOU MISSED THE APPEAL AND ARE GETTING DEBT LETTERS - DO NOTHING! DO NOT RING THE DEBT COLLECTOR! So I am not clear now. 

FYI: Today I got second letter from DRP - that I missed the payment deadline... the one I mentioned above in my first post.

Coupon-mad

You aren't mailing anything. You need to do this urgently so put it in as a complaint.

Also email

info@drpl.co.uk

and be as impolite as you like. They really do not deserve respect.

kryten3000

vtcauto said:

FYI: Today I got second letter from DRP - that I missed the payment deadline... the one I mentioned above in my first post.

There is no payment deadline because the debt doesn't really exist.

vtcauto

Got an reply from MET: 

"We note your comments and as a gesture of goodwill we have withdrawn this from our debt resolution team to give you the opportunity to deal with us directly and re-set the discount period so that you may pay the charge at the discounted rate of £60 subject to payment being received within 14 days of the date of this letter. 

We note your comments however the car park you parked in is not McDonald’s car park, their car park is adjacent to their restaurant. This is a pay by phone car park. The terms and conditions of use of the car park are clearly stated on signs prominently displayed in this area. These include that the car park is a pay by phone car park, that there is 60 minutes free stay for Southgate Park customers while they are on the premises only, that McDonald's is not on Southgate Park, and that if you wish to park here and visit locations that are not in Southgate Park, such as McDonald's, you must pay for parking. You have acknowledged that you left your vehicle in this car park while you went to McDonald's however our records do not show any payment having been made for parking, therefore we believe the charge was issued correctly and we are upholding it. ..."

"..This decision, which has been based on the facts of the case and takes into account our consideration of any mitigating circumstances, is our final decision. You have reached the end of our internal appeals procedure and you now have a number of option:"
1. Pay
2. POPLA appel
3. Do nothing... 

I think that´s the end of line, right? 

prowla

vtcauto said:

Got an reply from MET: 

"We note your comments and as a gesture of goodwill we have withdrawn this from our debt resolution team to give you the opportunity to deal with us directly and re-set the discount period so that you may pay the charge at the discounted rate of £60 subject to payment being received within 14 days of the date of this letter. 

We note your comments however the car park you parked in is not McDonald’s car park, their car park is adjacent to their restaurant. This is a pay by phone car park. The terms and conditions of use of the car park are clearly stated on signs prominently displayed in this area. These include that the car park is a pay by phone car park, that there is 60 minutes free stay for Southgate Park customers while they are on the premises only, that McDonald's is not on Southgate Park, and that if you wish to park here and visit locations that are not in Southgate Park, such as McDonald's, you must pay for parking. You have acknowledged that you left your vehicle in this car park while you went to McDonald's however our records do not show any payment having been made for parking, therefore we believe the charge was issued correctly and we are upholding it. ..."

"..This decision, which has been based on the facts of the case and takes into account our consideration of any mitigating circumstances, is our final decision. You have reached the end of our internal appeals procedure and you now have a number of option:"
1. Pay
2. POPLA appel
3. Do nothing... 

I think that´s the end of line, right? 

They are funny at times...

Coupon-mad

vtcauto said:

Got an reply from MET: 

"We note your comments and as a gesture of goodwill we have withdrawn this from our debt resolution team to give you the opportunity to deal with us directly and re-set the discount period so that you may pay the charge at the discounted rate of £60 subject to payment being received within 14 days of the date of this letter. 

We note your comments however the car park you parked in is not McDonald’s car park, their car park is adjacent to their restaurant. This is a pay by phone car park. The terms and conditions of use of the car park are clearly stated on signs prominently displayed in this area. These include that the car park is a pay by phone car park, that there is 60 minutes free stay for Southgate Park customers while they are on the premises only, that McDonald's is not on Southgate Park, and that if you wish to park here and visit locations that are not in Southgate Park, such as McDonald's, you must pay for parking. You have acknowledged that you left your vehicle in this car park while you went to McDonald's however our records do not show any payment having been made for parking, therefore we believe the charge was issued correctly and we are upholding it. ..."

"..This decision, which has been based on the facts of the case and takes into account our consideration of any mitigating circumstances, is our final decision. You have reached the end of our internal appeals procedure and you now have a number of option:"
1. Pay
2. POPLA appel
3. Do nothing... 

I think that´s the end of line, right? 

Eh? No. POPLA has been offered!